


collaterals

by claruh



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Dream Team SMP Angst (Video Blogging RPF), ranboo and tubbo are best friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-16 12:54:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29207700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/claruh/pseuds/claruh
Summary: i just think they are neat.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s), Ranboo & Toby Smith | Tubbo
Comments: 1
Kudos: 147





	collaterals

Ranboo dangled his feet over the water, swinging his legs so they barely touched the top of the water. He sighed before standing up and heading back down the prime path and looking over the crater. Every time he went to the remnants of L’manburg he did the same routine.

He didn’t really feel like there was anything better to do. Phil and Techno were constantly talking strategy about things he didn’t understand. Tubbo was now co-ruling a nation with Jack, so he was constantly busy with whatever they were up to there. Niki and Fundy.. really didn’t like him at the moment. 

Speaking of Tubbo, Ranboo had promised to visit him today and had completely forgotten about it. He sort-of jogged towards the soul sand path leading over the water. He had left his trident back at the house, so he hopped from one stone brick column to another, almost falling into the water several times. 

Once he could see the houses in the distance he hopped down to the ground and started running through the snow. It was quiet other than the occasional squeaks from foxes he had accidentally scared (and promptly apologized to) and the crunching of snow beneath his feet. 

Eventually, he got to Tubbo’s house and knocked on the door. The windows were closed, but they nearly always were due to the constant snow. 

“Tubbo?” No answer. He didn’t think they both could have possibly forgotten, since that was mainly his thing, so he carefully opened the door. The room was dark, only illuminated by the light coming from the open door. “Hey, Tubbo?” He looked around before shutting the door behind him. 

There was movement above him, but he couldn’t see what was causing it. Suddenly, something fell (jumped?) from the rafters. It was Tubbo. 

“Hi.” Ranboo could tell he was upset just by his voice. “I assumed you had forgotten to come.”

“Why were you up there?”

“It’s nice.”

Ranboo took out a torch and placed it down on the wall, and with the small amount of light now illuminating the room he could see how upset Tubbo really was. 

“What’s up?”

“Hm?” He looked up at Ranboo for a second before looking back down at his hands. “Nothing, I’m just tired.”

“I really don’t think that’s true.”

Tubbo laughed quietly, “I told you, I’m just tired, Ranboo.”

“I still don’t believe you.”

He sighed, “You’re a little too good at reading people sometimes.”

“Am I?”

“Jack didn’t notice anything earlier. I.. I really don’t know what's wrong.” He laughed again, sounding like he was about to start crying. “You can go back to Techno’s place, I’ll be alright.”

“I’m not going to just leave you like this.”

Tubbo opened his mouth like he was going to say something before closing it again and wrapping his arms tightly around Ranboo. Their significant height difference was very noticeable everytime they hugged, but Ranboo just hugged him back. 

He whispered, “Why exactly are we hugging?”

“Whenever I tell people they can go, they always do. No one ever stays when I say shit like that. I just appreciate you doing that a lot.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” He pulled away and motioned for Ranboo to follow him. Quickly, he headed downstairs and into the only actually furnished part of his house. “I don’t want anyone eavesdropping.”

“Is anyone around besides Jack?”

“No.. but I don’t really trust that.”

There was a silence for a moment as they sat together on the floor, “So, what’s wrong?”

“Oh. Yeah, right.” He smiled and rubbed his eyes with the corner of his sleeve. “Fighting for Snowchester’s independence reminds me so much of L’manburg, and I can’t stop thinking about everything that’s happened.” Ranboo noticed he touched the side of his face with burn scars when he said that. “I just want to be a kid. I never got to do that.”

“You had to help rule a country before you were 17, that’s a lot of responsibility.”

“Tell me about it.” He paused and then looked at Ranboo. “Sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize for anything.”

“I know.. You’ve been through just as much as me, and yet you handle it all so much better.”

“I most definitely do not.” He laughed, and Tubbo smiled a little. “You fighting a war for an entire nation’s independence is a little bit bigger than me having memory problems.”

Tubbo just nodded, his mind clearly elsewhere. “I just want to run away and build a house far away and live out the rest of my childhood away from everything.” He stood up before looking down at Ranboo. 

“Do it.”

He offered his hand out to help Ranboo stand up, “You think so?” 

“I’d come. If you want me to of course-“

“Of course I do.” He smiled, looking actually happy. 

Ranboo grinned, “Let’s do it!”

Tubbo’s smile faded, and he sighed, “I can’t leave Jack with Snowchester all by himself. He’s been seeming weird lately, and I don’t know what to do.”

“You don’t need to deal with his problems for him.”

Tubbo’s expression shifted several times as he tried to come up with a response, “I don’t know. I’m worried that if I leave something bad may happen.”

“Oh.. I guess, yeah.”

“It’s hard. I wish everything could start over and I could just leave L’manburg before it was even founded.”

“Everything would change if you did that.”

“A lot has been changing recently, don’t you think?” Ranboo nodded. “With the Egg and Dream being in prison.. everything is so different, but it all still feels the same.”

“That’s very philosophical of you.”

Tubbo laughed, “I guess. But you feel that too, don’t you?”

“I have since I first arrived in L’manburg.” They both headed upstairs again. “History keeps repeating itself.”

“That’s what I’m saying!” He threw his hands up in the air. “Do you want to know something?” He opened the door and they both stepped out into the snow. 

“What?”

“You were supposed to be executed at the festival.. Just like me.”

“What?” He didn’t know whether to start crying or yelling.

“I probably shouldn’t have said that, should I..” He frowned and placed his hand on Ranboo’s arm. “I made sure it didn’t happen. I don’t want anyone else to ever have that happen to them.” He paused for a moment before adding, “Undeservingly.” 

“So.. I was supposed to get executed. At the festival..” Tubbo nodded solemnly, staring out into the water in the distance. “Why are you telling me this now?”

“I thought you deserved to know.”

“O-oh.” His voice cracked and he quickly rubbed his gloved hands against his eyes. “I did deserve it though, didn’t I?”

“I don’t think so.”

“You don’t need to lie.”

“You weren’t a traitor. I understand that now.” He looked from the water to Ranboo’s face. “You’re a kid too. One who was thrown into a sort-of-newly-founded nation, and just expected to make decisions on things you had never heard of before.”

“That’s one way to put it.”

“I think it’s the truth. Not picking sides can be good sometimes.. I wish I would have learned that sooner.” He sighed. “Do you want to go for a walk?”

He nodded, and they headed down the stairs together, towards the lake. Ranboo had to walk slowly for Tubbo to be able to keep an even pace without having to speed up too much.

Eventually, they got to the edge of the water and Tubbo sat down, patting the ground next to him. He smiled when Ranboo sat down, “Thank you for staying.”

“Of course.”


End file.
